Cheap and easy display bases

[Doc72]

Hi fellow modelers,

I would like to present to you my cheap and easy way to make display bases. I more or less settled on a common format that is just large enough for small aircraft or a military vehicle in 1/72. Models just look so much better with a little context beneath them.

 

 

In order to save me the wood working I choose these cheap plates which I found in hobby shops (not those for scale modellers, those more directed at a female and artist clientele and which still can be found in many inner cities). There are also available online, of course These plates cost less than 2 € and are arguably made from rather cheapish wood. Mine come from the company Rayher, but there are certainly many other suppliers out there.

 

 

I cover the rough edges of the cheap wood with wood putty (any more expensive modelling putty might work, too) and sand everything smooth. After some coats of acrylic paint and Future brushed on, it almost looks like expensive hard wood (well, good enough for me).

 

 

Various ‘landscapes’ can easily added to the base. For earth I usually use a slurry made from white glue, pigments, sand and gravel.  Any kind of static grass or turf can be added. The concrete and asphalt hard stands are made from plastic sheets, that received a coat of Mr. Surfacer. Quickly before it dried I tapped my finger and some piece of cloth on it to create a texture. This can be highlighted by dry-brushing after painting.

 

 

 

[PhoenixII]

Good idea @Doc72, if I can make a suggestion?

Why not lightly sand the edges with glass paper and then use a household wood stain and varnish, similar outcome, fewer problems.

 

Paul

[Doc72]

Yes, this might work too, but the wood is really cheap. I think you would need a lot of sanding at the "sharp" ends of the oval where the shape cuts 90° through the wood grain to get a smooth surface (don't know how to explain this in English). I found it easier to smear on a bit of wood putty, smooth it with a wet finger and later sand it down when dry. Also, I don't have wood stain available (apart from the clear stuff used for Ikea shelves) and I like the reddish tones. So I use simply Tamina, Revell and Future.

[Gorby]

Not only cheap, they look very effective.

If you like cheap, you can also use soil from the garden:

 

[Doc72]

Thanks for the link to your experiments. As I work only on very small surfaces I considered sieving garden soil too laborious. But over the years I have collected a variety of materials like fine sand, various types of fine gravel, sawdust, talcum and so on that I keep in small jars. So I can mix a more coarse or more fine grained slurry depending on the landscape I want to model. 

It is so much fun to toy around with various materials/dirt and white glue. It is also a welcome break from just assembling kits, I think.